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  A second later, the front door opened. Ozzie, all six-foot-three of him, just stood there in his blue and gold Cal-Berkley T-shirt. His mouth opened, but his lips didn’t move. His gaze stayed on this woman with the snake tattoo. Nicole put her hands together as if she were in prayer. And then, as if some magical force were in control, they came together at the exact same time.

  It hit me like a thunderclap—a shockwave of love had just exploded in front of me. They rocked left and right. I could hear both of them crying. Then they paused as he clutched her shoulders and shook his head.

  “Is this when the questions start?” Ivy asked with a sniffle.

  She draped her arm inside of mine, and I leaned into her. For some reason, I not only felt this kinship with Ozzie, but I was also happy to share this moment with Ivy. Tears drained down my face, and Ivy handed me a tissue.

  “Thanks.”

  “I came prepared,” she said through an emotion-filled giggle.

  Just then, Ozzie looked up and saw us. He put his hand over his heart and shouted, “Thank you. Thank you for bringing back the love of my life. I love you guys!”

  “Back at you,” I yelled with a huge smile.

  We watched them as they hugged and cried and kissed for the next ten minutes. It gave me hope that there was indeed more love in this world than hate.

  41

  Wearing a ball cap, yoga pants, a Lycra workout shirt, and sport sunglasses, the woman pulled on the leash of the three-year-old Australian shepherd. The little guy immediately stopped and sat on his hind legs. She leaned down and rubbed his ears. She’d only known him for a short while, but she had this sixth sense with dogs—some had even called her the Dog Whisperer.

  Even though all dogs were as different as little children, she could understand what dogs wanted, appreciated. This Aussie dog—she wasn’t sure of his name—was all about his ears. Rub those ears, and he’ll be your friend for life.

  She probably only needed that obedience for a couple of hours. She extended her leg and stretched her hamstring, then did the same on the other leg, all while watching the scene play out a block down the street.

  Her gaze gravitated toward the lean woman standing at the curb. Not the younger woman, but the one who held her head up high, who had a noble grace about her, yet who carried herself with serious intent, as if she knew she was put on this earth to right all the wrongs…to be a spark of hope.

  Alex Troutt was stunning and magnificent. Her features and piercing eyes would make your knees wobble. But it was how she’d overcome so many obstacles in her life that made her special. She had evolved into the kind of person who should be held up as the example for all young people, girls and boys alike.

  The woman twisted her torso left and right—ensuring that she’d be viewed as just another Austinite out on her daily run with her dog. Every couple of seconds, her eyes couldn’t help but shift back to Alex and the others—two women and a tall man, striking in his own way. They were all talking, laughing as a group.

  She took in a deep breath. It had been quite a journey over the last week. Tracking a person without their knowledge with so much on the line had been difficult. She’d lost weight due to a lack of food, sleep, and yes, the stress. On more than one occasion, she thought she might lose Alex. In fact, she’d almost stepped in to lend a hand—which, to be truthful, had been one of her fantasies. But she’d withheld the urge and was ultimately rewarded by watching her hero win out once again.

  Alex Troutt, in all her glory, had everything she desired.

  The dog leaned against her leg—showing his trust in her—and then he looked up and wagged his tail. She smiled, rubbed his ears again. She took in another fortifying breath as she glanced at Alex again. She knew it was time to shift the paradigm and join the game. It was time for Alex to pursue her.

  Her body tingled with delight. She couldn’t wait to get started.

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed Back AT You. It was a blast to write.

  But it only gets better from here.

  Alex and Nick desperately hunt for a pattern to a series of brutal slayings. Can there be more than one killer? Threats hit from all directions. And just when Alex can take no more, her world is shredded like never before. Nothing will stop her from ending this rampage. Who will survive this life-or-death fight?

  Get AT Every Turn now!

  Best,

  John

  P.S. Leaving a review for Back AT You would make my day. Thank you in advance.

  John W. Mefford Bibliography

  Redemption Thriller Series

  *Suggested to read the books in the following order:

  The Alex Troutt Thrillers

  AT Bay (RTS #1)

  AT Large (RTS #2)

  AT Once (RTS #3)

  AT Dawn (RTS #4)

  AT Dusk (RTS #5)

  AT Last (RTS #6)

  The Ivy Nash Thrillers

  IN Defiance (RTS #7)

  IN Pursuit (RTS #8)

  IN Doubt (RTS #9)

  Break IN (RTS #10)

  IN Control (RTS #11)

  IN The End (RTS #12)

  The Ozzie Novak Thrillers

  ON Edge (RTS #13)

  Game ON (RTS #14)

  ON The Rocks (RTS #15)

  Shame ON You (RTS #16)

  ON Fire (RTS #17)

  ON The Run (RTS #18)

  The Alex Troutt Thrillers

  AT Stake (RTS #19)

  AT Any Cost (RTS #20)

  Back AT You (RTS #21)

  AT Every Turn (RTS #22)

  AT Death’s Door (RTS #23)

  AT Full Tilt (RTS #24)

  Other Thriller Series

  The Booker Series

  BOOKER – Streets of Mayhem (Volume 1)

  BOOKER – Tap That (Volume 2)

  BOOKER – Hate City (Volume 3)

  BOOKER – Blood Ring (Volume 4)

  BOOKER – No Más (Volume 5)

  BOOKER – Dead Heat (Volume 6)

  The Greed Series

  FATAL GREED (Greed Series #1)

  LETHAL GREED (Greed Series #2)

  WICKED GREED (Greed Series #3)

  GREED MANIFESTO (Greed Series #4)

  Back AT You

  Copyright © 2018 by John W. Mefford

  All rights reserved.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book (not just the sample) and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Formatting by Bob Houston eBook Formatting

  Table of Contents

  ALSO BY JOHN W. MEFFORD

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine
<
br />   Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Dear Reader

  John W. Mefford Bibliography

  Copyright